


Welcome To The New Year

by egoanesthesia



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, I promise this is soft and happy at the end have you even met me, Kisses, M/M, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:14:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27771355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egoanesthesia/pseuds/egoanesthesia
Summary: Five plus one, New Year's eve kisses edition!
Relationships: David Rose/Original Female Character, Patrick Brewer/David Rose, Sebastien Raine/David Rose, Stevie Budd & David Rose
Comments: 38
Kudos: 134
Collections: Schitt's Creek: Frozen Over (2020)





	Welcome To The New Year

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SCFrozenOver2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SCFrozenOver2020) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Five times David Rose didn’t get a midnight kiss on NYE and one time he did. He _really_ did.
> 
> To whomever prompted this, and to all you lovely readers!
> 
> Title from Motion City Soundtrack.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING: mentions of/allusions to physical, sexual, mental abuse (not btwn David and Patrick), drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, depression...I think that's it but please give this one a skip if any of these might trigger you! Take care of yourselves loves! <3  
> I'll update the AN when this isn't anon anymore!

1.  
David looks out around the great hall of the Rose family mansion. The Christmas tree, garland, lights, and all the other festive decorations shimmer wildly as couples sway to the music or stand chatting away in groups. Every year, his parents and their friends take turns hosting a New Year's Eve party. This year, it was finally at their house. 

The morning of the party, David hunts down his mother amid the kitchen staff, all scurrying about doing last-minute prep work. He pulls her aside and asks to be exempt from the celebration. Correction. He begged. At twelve years old, he would much rather be reading a book or sketching in his room than be trotted out like a showpony for his parents and their friends. That's Alexis' forte, not his. He'd have to thank whoever made that punch Moira was drinking when he'd asked. She was pleasantly buzzed enough to agree that he only had to be present for dinner and the turn of the clock to midnight.

David returns to the present when he sees a champagne flute appear in front of him. "Here you go, Amore." Adelina says softly, kissing the top of his head before sitting down next to him.

"Thank you. Are you sure I can have this though?" He asks as he swishes the liquid in the glass gently.

"Yes, it's sparkling cider, no alcohol." She smiles and gives him a quick nod. 

They sit in silence for a few minutes and then are joined by Alexis. "Ew David! Why do you have the grown up drinks?" She asks, fluffing out the bottom of her dress before sitting down on Adelina's other side.

"It's sparkling cider. I have one for you too, bella." Adelina replies before David can and hands Alexis her own glass. Alexis thanks her and then the three sit quietly, watching the scene before them of couples dancing and mingling under the colourful string lights.

Sometime later, the big screen tv that was brought out for the evening is turned on and everyone's attention is focused on it. The bright and colourful lights of Times Square appear on the screen and the countdown begins.

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...

"Happy New Year!" rings out in choruses throughout the room as all of the couples embrace and share a midnight kiss.

David's eyes are drawn to his parents on the other side of the room. Johnny's arm is around Moira's waist and he's holding her close as he places a chaste, delicate kiss to her lips. When they pull back, Moira leans her head down and rests it against Johnny's shoulder as she places a hand over his heart. One of his hands comes to cover and grasp hers as they relax into each other.

Normally, his parents being affectionate would make David’s skin crawl and he would look away, but this time is different. Maybe it's the way the light reflects off of Johnny's face as he beams at his wife, the love and affection he has for her on full display in his eyes. Maybe it's the way Moira seems smaller, but in a good way. Usually she's a lot like David; anxious, opinionated, loud, attention-grabbing...but in the moment, she seems relaxed, comfortable and safe.

David feels his eyes dampen slightly as he imagines what it'd be like...if he ever gets to have that. Someone to hold him close and make him feel loved, and beautiful, and safe. Someone he can be totally himself around.

"Are you alright, Amore?" he hears Adelina ask as she puts a gentle hand on his shoulder, bringing him back into the present.

"Yeah...Adelina can I ask you something?" He says shyly, a hint of colour appearing on his cheeks.

"Of course." She replies, rubbing a gentle hand up and down his back.

"How do you find the person you'll spend forever with?" He asks softly.

"It just happens, Carissimo. You can look for them, and sometimes you will find them, but sometimes it just happens. You're minding your own business one day and suddenly a person shows up who you just know is someone special." she replies, a small smile on her face.

"How do you know they're special?" David asks.

"They will love you for you. You can be yourself with them and be comfortable doing so. You'll feel safe" she says, pausing before inquiring, "why do you ask?"

"Hm? Oh, um...I was just thinking about a New Year's eve midnight kiss. It sounds special." He says, blush colouring his cheeks again.

"It is, Amore, it is. Now, I have to find your sister and get her ready for bed. You go on upstairs and get ready for bed and read, and I'll be in soon to say goodnight." Adelina says and kisses his forehead, sending him off in the direction of his room as she goes to find Alexis.

  
2\.   
David's head pounds. The explosive sounds of cheering and fireworks, coupled with a garish light, assaults his senses. He tries to move...to move his hands, to open his eyes, to do anything, but he can't. His limbs are heavy and his body is exhausted. The last thing he remembers is being at a club with Kate and her handing him a collection of pills and a glass of whiskey to down them with. He knew it was a bad idea, but he did it anyway. It had been a long, hellish week and he'd finally dropped out of NYU because, Kate was right, he isn't smart enough to graduate anyway so what's the point. From there he'd just spiraled into a whirlwind of booze, drugs, sex, and a blur of faces hoping that it could at least help him feel numb.

He takes a deep breath and finally wills his eyes to open, blinking them a couple of times so that the room comes into focus. Crisp white sheets pool around his hips as he slowly sits up on his elbows, trying to piece together what the fuck happened between the club and now. 

He shivers as the cold air of the room hits his bare skin. Wait, when did he take his clothes off? David sits up fully in the bed, feeling his chest tightening with panic. He needs to find his clothes and he needs to get the fuck out of here.

As he's sliding out of the bed, he hears the door to the balcony slide open and shut. He turns to look and sees Kate, her eyes icy and stone cold. He can feel his body shrink in on itself protectively, out of instinct...Kate hasn't been the most gentle or patient person he's dated.

"Why the fuck are you still here?" She says, tone flat and bored.

"I must've passed out. I-I just woke up." He says, bending down to slide his pants back up his too-thin legs.

"Well, we're done here so you can go." She says as she brushes past him to place the champagne glasses she's holding in the kitchen sink.

"Okay." He says as he slips his sweater over his head. 

Kate walks past him again, sliding open the door to the balcony. She turns back to look at him as he's lacing up his shoes. 

"Take the trash out on your way." she says and steps out onto the balcony, sliding the door shut behind her and sitting down in the lap of the man in the chair by the table. He couldn't even identify who. Erik? Anthony? Josh? Kate changed men more often than her socks.

David takes another deep breath as he slips his jacket on and reaches over to grab the trash bag. Two used condoms sit in there and, he doesn't remember what happened but figures he must've wanted sex at some point that night...right? 

A weird feeling that he really doesn't want to think about washes over him so he brushes it off, ties the bag, and storms out of the apartment. He dumps the trash in a dumpster outside the building and begins the walk to his apartment.

As he gets closer to his place, he sees more and more couples in various states of inebriation wrapped up in each other and he wonders what the fuck the universe is trying to tell him. Why is everyone suddenly all PDA and in love?

"Happy New Year man!" He hears a voice call out from the other side of the sidewalk. The man is stupidly drunk and the man beside him, his boyfriend by the look of it, is trying to help him stumble safely into the waiting taxi. 

David smiles at them, though it's forced, and continues walking. He sees the more sober of the two press a quick kiss to his boyfriends lips as he finally wrangles him into the taxi, following him in once he's seated.

New Year's Eve. That's it, that's what today is. He inhales deeply and huffs out a sigh. 

Well, that marks twenty-two years without a midnight kiss he thinks to himself as he approaches his apartment building and lets himself in. Maybe next year.

3\.   
"David? Where are you going?" He hears Sebastien's voice call over the noise of the club as he slowly stumbles his way to the bathroom.

"I have to use the bathroom." David slurs, the world tipping slightly on its axis. He grabs the wall beside him to stay upright.

"It's almost midnight and I just ordered champagne." Sebastien says.

"I'll be quick. I really have to go." David says, his voice taking on a pleading tone. He finds himself wondering, not for the first time, how he's gotten to a point where it sounds like he's asking Sebastien to use the restroom like a child. David wants to call Sebastien his boyfriend, but the whole situation is gray and Sebastien never offers any clarity.

"Fine, whatever David." Sebastien brushes him off as he heads back to the bar.

David stumbles his way through the bathroom door and heads for one of the unoccupied stalls. He turns too fast as he shuts the door behind him. His head is suddenly spinning and he collapses to his knees in front of the toilet as his vision blacks out around the edges.

He steadies himself on the edge of the toilet just in time for his body to convulse with dry heaves. He knows he won't throw up, he can barely remember the last time he consumed solid food...maybe two, three days ago? 

He loses track of how long he's dry heaving over the toilet but eventually his body gives in to the fact that there is nothing there for it to expel. David wipes his mouth with the back of his hand as he shakily stands up, does his business, flushes, and then heads out of the stall to wash his hands.

He turns the tap on, pumps some soap into his hand, and then freezes as he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror. The bags under his eyes are dark and heavy. His already-prominent cheekbones are sharper than usual. But the feature he lingers on the longest are the faint fingerprint bruises along his jaw, neck, and temples. He knows how they got there. Sebastien can be a bit...rough, to put lightly.

Someone opening and closing the bathroom door breaks David out of his trance and he quickly washes and dries his hands before heading back out to find Sebastien. 

He stumbles back out, slightly less disoriented than before, and heads over to the bar where he last saw Sebastien. 

"Three...Two...One...Happy New Year!" He hears yelled out all around him as confetti rains down on the partygoers.

He goes to take another step to find Sebastien and maybe finally get a somewhat-midnight New Year's kiss, but stops in his tracks when he sees it. 

Sebastien, his boyfriend, has his lips connected with those of some guy whose hands are shoving Sebastien's shirt up as he gets more and more handsy the longer the kiss goes on.

Someone bumps into David, bringing him back to reality and he decides he has to get out of here immediately. He knows there might be hell to pay when he sees Sebastien tomorrow...or whenever...but he absolutely cannot fucking be here anymore so he takes whatever strength he has left in him and drags himself outside.

He slumps against the wall as he waits for a taxi to get back to his apartment.

Maybe I won't ever get a midnight kiss...maybe I don't deserve one his mind wanders but, no fuck it, love is hell. People will only hurt you. 

He plays this over and over in his mind like a mantra as he watches the lights of New York City flash by the whole ride back to his apartment.

4\.   
To say the last year had been hard is the understatement of the century. The Rose family lost everything and were forced to move to Schitt's Creek. And in true tragicomedy fashion, they almost got it back. That hit David the hardest. As much as he hated living in this small, desolate town with the fucking stupid name, he realized that he really didn't have anything to go back to if they got their money back.

He would lose his only friend, and go back to an empty existence full of too much booze and drugs as a way of trying to fill the void and numb the voice in his head that never seemed to leave him the fuck alone.

But that deal had fallen through and the Roses are still living in Schitt's Creek and David still has a friend.

"Want another glass?" Stevie asks from the other side of the motel room, bringing David out of his thoughts and back to the present.

"Mmm not right now. Still gotta light this soon." He says, waving the joint in his hand, smirk still in place on his lips.

"You know, sometimes you have some great ideas and this might be your best one yet." Stevie smirks right back as she sets the wine bottle back down and picks up the lighter instead before walking back across the room and taking a seat beside David on the bed.

They're in the love room again because Alexis wanted to have a spa night and apparently needed the room to herself, so this was the best they could do.

David takes the lighter from Stevie, places the joint between his lips and lights it, taking a deep drag of the smooth smoke. He passes it to Stevie as he blows out the smoke, and they repeat this in a comfortable silence for a while.

"Have you ever had a midnight kiss on New Year's eve?" David asks sometime later. He's not even really sure why he said it. Emotional conversations are not exactly a thing he and Stevie do. Maybe it's the alcohol, or the weed, or a combination of the two.

"Yeah back in high school I think? Someone in the grade threw a party and we were all drunk and kissing random people at midnight. Don't even remember who it was but I know I kissed someone. How about you?" she asks, taking another drag from the joint.

"Hmm nope. Never had a midnight kiss." he says nonchalantly, trying to mask how much he just wants his fairytale, romcom New Year's kiss moment.

"One day, you're not that old yet." she teases, a shit-eating grin on her face.

"Just for that..." he mutters as he steals the joint from her and takes the last puff. She gives him a dirty look but doesn't say anything which he counts as a win.

They sit for a while in companionable silence, except for the random movie on the tv that serves as background noise.

Stevie's phone timer goes off with the reminder she set to get them both a glass of zhampagne to cheers with at midnight in hopes that the new year will bring...well, anything fucking better than the last year has. David gets up and fills two mugs with zhampagne, they never claimed to be a classy duo after all. He returns to his place beside Stevie on the bed. She takes her mug from him and they wait for their phone clocks to change to midnight.

"Happy New Year David!" Stevie says as the clock flips to 12:00.

"Happy New Year Stevie! Here's hoping it's better than whatever the fuck came before." David says, his eyes rolling of their own accord as they clink their mugs together and down the cheap alcohol.

Well, it's not a kiss but this might be the best New Year's Eve in many years...he thinks to himself as they settle into a comfortable silence again, sipping away at their zhampagne and watching shitty movies.

5.  
David said he would never go to another New Year's eve party after moving to Schitt's Creek. Mind you, Ray Butani's New Year's eve party in his home/workplace is nothing compared to the illegal substance infused clubs that used to take up David’s free time. Either way, Patrick told him that Ray invited the pair, plus Stevie to his party. While David doesn't really want to go, he does want to spend time with Patrick so he agrees in spite of himself. 

"Enjoying yourself so far?" Patrick says as he approaches David.

"Mmh yes very much." David says, slightly sarcastic because, yeah he is kind of bored and tired, but it's also not as awful as he'd anticipated.

"Good. I know it's not a wild night on the town in New York city, but this might kick the party up a notch." Patrick says with a teasing smirk, as he hands David a glass of whiskey.

"Mmm thank you, this will help for sure!" David smirks back, his lips twisting up in the corner.

"Ray just brought out some dessert and I'm honestly not even sure what it is but holy fuck it's good!" Stevie says as she steps between the two men.

David’s eyes light up at the mention of sweets and he quickly heads for the kitchen, leaving them both with a quick "be right back!"

Patrick laughs softly and watches David make his way to the dessert table, cutting ahead of Roland in the process. It's probably best to grab the food before Roland anyway. 

Stevie clears her throat from beside him and he startles slightly, having forgotten for a minute that she was there. Patrick turns to face her with a false look of confusion on his face. He knows that she knows he was looking at David but, instead of saying anything, she just smirks and pats his back before heading off to save David from Roland.

He breathes out a breath he didn't know he was holding. God, it's New Year's eve for fucks sake! He could easily just tell David he has feelings for him and hope to heaven almighty and anyone else who will listen that David might somehow like him back. But the thing is...he can't.

They're business partners now. Rose Apothecary is set to open in about a week and he really can't risk fucking that up right now. 

He takes another deep breath and looks up as he hears a rare, unguarded burst of David's laughter from across the room. Patrick feels his heart rate quicken with how beautiful a sight it truly is, at the same time as his hands curl into tight fists in frustration at himself.

Why can't he just tell David how he feels? Just walk right up to him, cup his beautiful face between his hands and say "I'm fucking crazy about you David Rose" before leaning in for a kiss. A soft kiss to start but then he's pulling David against him, their hips slamming together as they both try to deepen the kiss. He'd turn and press David against the wall behind them, kissing his way down his neck, leaving small bites along the way as David's breathing-

"Patrick! Can you come help me fill and hand out the zhampagne please?" Ray calls out, effectively startling Patrick out of his very inappropriate for a room full of people fantasy.

"Yeah, I'll be right there Ray. Just gonna wash my hands." Patrick says, clearing his throat as he speaks. He sets down his glass and makes his way to the bathroom to, yes was his hands, but also to calm the fuck down from whatever that little fantasy was.

Back in the kitchen, David and Stevie have plates full of dessert and are making their way back to where they'd left Patrick. He isn't there when they get back but they just take their seats and dig in.

"So, is tonight the night you finally get your midnight kiss?" Stevie smirks.

"Wh-what? No, god Stevie, who the fuck would I even kiss here?" David stutters out around a forkful of a tiramisu.

"David. You're an idiot." Stevie states bluntly.

"Excuse me?!" He retorts.

"David, are you really gonna fucking tell me you haven't been thinking of getting to kiss Patrick at midnight literally the whole time we've been here?" She says, staring him down.

"Stevie, we've been over this! He's my business partner and friend, he's not into me." David says, trying to make it sound as if he hasn't been rehearsing and repeating those words to himself to try and make them more believable out loud.

"David, you're the one who always says don't assume someone's preferences because of how they look." Stevie says, her lips twisting in a sardonic smile.

"Okay, first of all, don't use my words against me. Second of all, even if he isn't straight, why the fuck would he like me? He could literally have anyone he wanted, why would he pick me?" David says self-depricatingly.

Stevie doesn't answer. She just gives him a pointed look and returns her attention to her dessert plate in her lap.

They eat in silence for a few more minutes and then two champagne flutes appear in their lines of sight.

"It's almost midnight guys, here's your zhampagne." Patrick says as he hands them each a glass and then takes a seat in the empty chair beside David as the countdown begins.

5...4...3...2...1...

The choruses of "Happy New Year" ring out around them. The couples among the crowd share their midnight kisses, and the singles down their zhampagne. 

David, Patrick, and Stevie all clink their glasses together before drinking. David looks over at Patrick and his eyes linger on Patrick's lips as he finishes off the last of the alcohol. His mind begins to wander...wondering what those soft, pink lips would feel like against his. A slow, sweet kiss where they could taste the tiramisu and zhampagne on each other's lips as they press together, getting more and more heated as-

"Happy New Year kids!" Johnny says, bringing David's attention back to the present, as he and Moira approach the group.

David's mind wanders back to that night, all those years ago with Adelina when he first decided he hoped he'd get a midnight kiss someday. She'd told him that sometimes your person finds you when you didn't see it coming. He lets his gaze drift over to Patrick, who is currently listening to Johnny talk about something or other and for just a second he thinks, maybe someday and hopefully with Patrick.

+1.  
"Here you go, Amore." David hears Adelina say as she approaches him with a champagne flute. He can't help the smile that takes over his face as he thanks her and takes the proffered glass.

How Patrick never stops surprising him, he isn't sure, but boy as the years go by, the surprises keep getting better.

Almost four months ago now, David had been walking back up the aisle with his brand new husband, joyous tears falling freely from both their eyes when, all of a sudden, he froze. He had to be hallucinating. There was no way she was here. But then they were standing there, people congratulating them and, yup she was there alright. She walked right up to David and wrapped him in a hug, so familiar from his childhood years and whispered in his ear, "congratulations, Amore, I knew you'd find your person." There had been tearful introductions and only then had David learned that Patrick, his husband, was the one responsible for Adelina being present for the most important day of his life.

He had thanked Patrick endlessly for weeks after the wedding, he really didn't know what he did to deserve him, and just when David thought he physically couldn't love his husband more...the doorbell to their cottage had rung earlier in the day as they were setting up for their New Year's eve party tonight, and David had opened it to find Adelina wrapped in a warm coat, wearing an even warmer smile.

"You know, David, I always knew you'd find the love you deserve. You have always been so full of love to give and so eager to receive it in return." Adelina says as she wraps an arm around David.

"I really don't know how I got so lucky. I couldn't have dreamed of someone as amazing as Patrick if I tried." he says, a bit of flush rising on his cheeks. Yes, he has grown immensely where emotional vulnerability is involved, but he is still David Rose.

"You were just being yourself, Amore. I told you all those years ago, you will find someone who loves you for you, and that's exactly what you did. I'm so proud of you." She says and cups his face in her hand, pulling him down to place a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Adelina, for everything you've ever done for me...for all of us really." He whispers as he kisses her cheek in return. When he stands back up, they see Patrick headed their way, champagne flute in hand and ready for midnight.

"Hey baby." Patrick says as he approaches them, wrapping his arm around David's waist and pressing a tiny kiss to his cheek.

"Hi honey." David says, a soft smile appearing on his lips.

"Can I get you anything else Mrs. D'Ang- I mean, Adelina?" Patrick says, correcting himself before she can even tell him to call her by her first name because he is family.

"I'm fine, thank you Caro. I was just telling David how lovely this party is. You two have a beautiful home." Adelina says, taking Patrick's free hand in hers.

"Thank you. It was all him. This one here has an eye for all things beautiful and intriguing." Patrick gestures to David, giving him a look that can only be described as fond.

"Oh I know. He's always been that way. Always so talented and smart." Adelina says and teasingly pinches David's cheek. He pouts, but it doesn't last long because he's just so fucking happy that he can't stop himself from smiling.

"Okay everyone, it's almost midnight!" Alexis yells out from her place beside Twyla on the opposite end of the room.

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1

"Happy New Year!" 

David wraps his arms around Patrick's neck as Patrick tightens his arm around David's waist and lifts his free hand to the back of David's neck, pulling him down into a soft kiss. 

"Happy New Year, David." Patrick whispers against his husband's lips as they pull apart just enough to breathe.

"Happy New Year, Patrick." David replies softly and brushes his lips against Patrick's again gently.

The noise and cheering of their family and friends reminds them they aren't alone, so they slowly pull apart from the kiss. Patrick's arm stays around David's waist, while one of David's arms drapes over Patrick's shoulders as they drink their champagne.

David turns to Adelina when he feels her hand on his arm gently. There are tears in her eyes and he's about to ask if she's okay when she smiles and whispers, "You did it, you found your forever. I told you it was special, Amore."

David feels his eyes fill with tears at her words. All those years ago in the great hall of the Rose family mansion, she had told him he would find someone who makes him feel safe and loved to spend forever with, to kiss at midnight every New Year's eve for the rest of their lives. He'd done just that.

David looks from Adelina to Patrick, who is already looking at David because of course he is, and let's an unguarded, radiant smile take over his face.

"You're right, Adelina. He is pretty special." David says softly, looking at his beautiful husband, feeling like he might just burst with all the love he feels for this amazing man.

It may have taken him some time to get here, but from now on, David Rose gets to have his midnight kiss with the love of his life, his husband, every single New Year's eve.


End file.
